That's funny. Comparing the Vespa to the Heinkel is kind of like comparing a Ducati Monster to a Harley Road King. They're completely different. I own both (a '64 GS160, and a '60 Heinkel 013A1), and they are really different to ride. The Vespa is a hell of a lot more fun, especially on a twisty road; the Heinkel is far better at touring.

If you should happen to still have the remains of that GS160, they're worth quite a bit these days. (And note that just about any 2-stroke will sieze "on a long downhill coast". The lubrication is in the fuel, and any sort of engine braking will have it turning higher revs than idle with the same lubrication as at idle, causing it to be underlubed. *Never* engine brake with a 2-stroke.)

PhilB

I wasn't trying to run down the Vespa. I was pointing out my ignorance at the time that I had a favorite model of a fine manufacturer, and knew very little about 2 strokes. At the time(1976), scooters were of no account in central Vermont. I have been driving around here for 40 years on my Heinkel. Until the last few years, no one gave it a second glance, except little boys who probably thought it was a rocket. Now I am held up wherever I go by people who want to talk about it.